The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-03-30
THE TRACKS COVERED.

THE TRACKS COVERED.
The Time When the Greatest Republican
Rascality Might BE Punished Il Past
Responsibility of tho Republican Party.
Our esteemed contemporary, the Albany
Argus, has not yet explained to its readers why
the Democratic Administration has neglected
to bring action against the Republicans who
have robbed the Government while they were
in office. The Argus charged that the Govern
ment, under the Republicans, was s'mass 81
fostering corruption" 1t asserted that millions
OF dollars were stolen and that there were hun
dreds of defalcations. It's charges were SO clear
and specific that it was asked why the guilty
men were allowed to go UNPUBLISHED. Since
then the argus has dropped the subject. This
Is singular action.-7roy Telegram.
The argus dropped the subject pre-
cisely because it had given it the fullest
and most exhaustive consideration,
and, when accused of glittering gener-
alities, replied by what our esteemed
contemporary in Troy justly terms
clear and specific charges. There was
nothing more to be said on the subject.
But the Telegram is surprised that the
Democratic Administration has not ap-
piled itself to the task of hunting down
the public plunderers and furnishing
them for their rascality, and it regards
the silence Of the argus, in not ex-
planning this matter, as singular ac-
ton. Nothing singular about it. The
first duty of the Democratic Admins
tration was to purify the public service
from the corruption with which nearly
a quarter Of a century of Republican
rule had poisoned it. This was task
that called for all the time and ener-
gies of the Administration.
The defalcations of United States
officials during the Administrations of
Presidents Grant, Hayes and Arthur,
as compiled from the public records,
show that $12, 1893. 476.48 were stolen
from the Government, and this does
not include the money stolen under
the WHISPERING frauds, star-route
frauds, Post-office Department defalca-
tons, Burnside's frauds, Howgate's
frauds. the Naval Medical Bureau
frauds, or the defalcation of the dis
bursting clerk of the State Department..
Those frauds extended over a con-
siderable period. Some have been in
vestigated under Republican Admins
tration, but the guilty men were, in
the most important instances, allowed
to go UNPUBLISHED. Dorsey and Brady
were lucky in this respect.
1t is easy to speak of Furnishing those
rascals by due process of law, but next
to an impossibility to corner them SO
as to obtain conviction. The ramif.
cations of their schemes were so widely
extended and involved so many in.
terests that, like the spider. they fell
secure within the web of their own
weaving. They covered up their tracks
without difficulty, since they had high
officers of the Government to shield
them. Investigation after investiga
ton was called for in vain, OF, wher
responded to, was so bunglingly man
aged that no satisfactory results were
attainable. The only result was t.
cause the rascals to be more cautious
and to destroy, as far as possible, tn
legal proofs of their infamy.
At the time when they might have
been punished for their misdeeds, the
Republican Administration refused te
do so. Now that the necessary proofs
are in many cases no longer attainable
witnesses spirited away or document
missing, the Democratic Administra
ton is called upon to punish the delin
quencies and defalcations of Republic
an office holders. We recall to thu
attention of our esteemed contempt
rary the case of Surgcon-General Vale
and the correspondence between Score
tary Chandler and the lamented Mr.
Hendricks in the summer of 1884.
| Mr.. Hendricks thus alluded t.
Chandler's connection with this case
.For the Bureau of Medicine an,
Surgery the defalcation is large, but tn
more serious fact is that it could an
did extend through two Administra
tons of the department, period Q
nearly four years, without detection
You testified that some inquir.
was made, and the conclusion
was, that while there were sus
picious circumstances, they did no
warrant conclusion of guilt. After
notice, verbal and in writing, you LEI
the men in office. You did not brin
the frauds to light nor the guilty pal
ties to punishment. What is your mex
excuse? Worse, if possible, than b.
fore. You say large number Of Cor
gressmen recommended that the hea
of the bureau, DR.. Wales, should be II
appointed. Members Of Congress knee
nothing of the frauds; they had no OF
portunity to know. 1t was with
your seach and power. But DIR. Vale
was not one of the three guilty rogues
He neither forged the vouchers nc
embezzled the money. His respons
bility in the case is just the same a
, your own. He was the official superio
; of the three rogues, as you were
himself as we'll as of them. Neither h
nor yourself exposed the frauds nc
: punished the parties.
This is but a single instance of Il
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